Article tripped rotary printing machine



April 1966 H.- WALTHER 3,245,343

ARTICLE TRIPPED ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 12, 1966 H. WALTHER 3,245,343

ARTICLE TRIPPED ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 TIELZ mama f w'kw April 1966 H. WALTHER 3,245,343

ARTICLE TRIPPED ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 17, 1963 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 7 0/11 17 for M4N$ 607/2/55 MZWVZI? April 12, 1966 H. WALTHER ARTICLE TRIPPED ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4.

Filed Oct. 17, 1963 April 12, 1966 H. WALTHER ARTICLE TRIPPED ROTARY PRINTING MACHINE 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Oct. 17, 1965 'IIIIIIJY'II United States Patent Filed Oct. 17, 1963, Ser. No. 316,981 Claims priority, application Switzerland, Oct. 23, 1962, 12,344/ 62 13 Claims. (Cl. 101-235) This-invention relates to stamping machines and according to the invention there is provided a stamping machine comprising a rotor having a stamping block rotatable therewith, a passage through which objects to be stamped can be moved into position for stamping by the stamping block, a stop supported for pivotal movement to and from a position at which it impedes the passage of an object through said passage, and restraining means cooperating with the stop to retain it in the passage impeding position thereof and with the rotor to restrain the rotor against rotation, said restraining means being arranged on movement of the stop by an object moving through the passage to release the rotor for rotation and to retain the stop in the path of the object until the rotor has performed a predetermined part of a revolution thereof. In order that the invention may be clearly understood one embodiment thereof will now be described, by Way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a section on line II of FIG. 2 ing machine according to the invention,

' FIG. 2 is a section on line H-II of FIG. 1 when the machine is locked,

FIG. 3 is a section similar to that of FIG, 2 when the machine is released,

' FIG. 4 is a section similar to that of FIG. 2 when the stamping machine is released and the through passage is clear,

-' FIG. 5 illustrates mechanism for with the owners key,

FIG. 6 is a section on line VIVI of FIG. 1,

FIG. 7 is a section on line VIIV]I of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 8 showsa detail of control gear embodied in the machine, Referring to the drawings, a bed 10 and a plate 11 define a passage 12 along which an object 13 to be stamped is passed to the stamping apparatus. When the machine is in the starting condition thereof, the passage 12 is blocked by a stop 16 pivotally mounted in walls 14 and 15. When the object 13 to be stamped is moved, FIG. 2, through the passage 12 it engages the lower portion of the stop 16 and turns it about its pivots 17 in a counter-clockwise direction. During this turning movement of the stop a control slide 20 supported by bolts 18 and 19, is moved to the left as viewed in FIG. 2, by a finger 16' formed on the stop 16 until the control slide 20 is engaged with the nose 21 of a lever 22, FIG. 3. The lever 22 carries a pressure roller 23, rotatable with a spindle 24. A spring 25 presses the nose 21 of the lever 22 against a cam disc 27 secured to a rotor 26. A control pawl 29 is urged by a spring 28 against a first shoulder 30 on the control slide 20 when the machine is in the starting condition thereof. When the control slide 20 is moved by the stop 16, the control pawl 29 is moved downwards from the first shoulder 30 on to a second shoulder 31 on the control slide 20. This downward movement of the control pawl 29 releases a locking member 33 provided on a locking rod 32, by permitting movement of the member 33 to the right as viewed in FIG. 1, thereby releasing the stamping machine for operation as described below.

of a stamplocking the machine When the stamping machine has been released, the rotor 26 which is rotatable in bearings 34, 35, FIG, 1, may be rotated by means of a hand crank or electric motor, not shown. When the rotor 26 has been rotated counter-clockwise, as viewed in FIG. 3, for a part of a revolution, the nose 21 of lever 22 comes to rest on the descending curved portion of the cam disc 27 and the lever 22 is rotated by the spring 25 until a tail 37 on the lever 22 engages the lower end of the stop 16 and turns it so that it no longer impedes the passage 12. At the same time the control slide 20 is moved further to the left, as viewed in FIG. 3, by the stop 16 so that the control pawl 29 drops from the second shoulder 31 on to a third shoulder 38 on the control slide 20. In the end position of the control slide 20, shown in FIG. 4, the control slide is held in position by the control pawl 29, until the release elements return to the starting position.

The upward movement of lever 22 causes the object 13, for example a letter, to be gripped between the pressure roller 23 and the crown 39 of the rotor 26 and to be moved therebetween. A stamping block, which in the form illustrated in FIG. 7 consists of three adjustable figure-bearing discs 40, runs past a color unit 41 and, as it passes the pressure roller 23, applies an impression to the object 13.

After the stamp impression has been made the release mechanism can be returned to the starting position.

For this purpose the rotor 26 is provided with a control gear 42 which includes an axially directed ramp 43 and a radially directed ramp 44. During the last part of the revolution of the rotor 26 the axially directed ramp 43 engages the locking member 33 and moves it to the left as shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, so that the compression spring 45 arranged between the member 33 and the locking rod 32 is compressed. The radially directed ramp 44 engages a projection 46 on the control pawl 29 and raises the pawl 29 from the control slide 20, whereupon the nose 21 of lever 22 is pressed downwards by the rising curved portion 47 of the cam disc 27, the effect of which is to cause the stop 16 to return gravitationally to the position thereof shown in FIG. 2, and the control slide 20 to be returned to the right as viewed in FIG. 4. As soon as the control slide 20 has reached its starting position the projection 46 is disengaged by the ramp 44, so that the control pawl 29 is again supported against the first shoulder 30 of the control slide 20 under the influence of spring 28. After the control pawl 29 has also reached the starting position, the locking member 33 is released by the ramp 43 and is again supported on the control pawl 29, FIG. 1.

Shortly before the rotor 26 completes a revolution thereof, the nose 21 is moved away from portion 48 of the cam disc 27, so that the lever 22 can to some extent turn clockwise again. This gives rise to a gap x (FIG. 2) between the end of the control slide 20 and the nose 21 making it possible to move the control slide 20 to the left in the first stage of the next releasing operation of the stamping machine.

If an object 13 to be stamped has not quite run through the machine by the time the rotor has accomplished a revolution, the stop 16 cannot return to the starting position thereof as above described. To accommodate this contingency, the stop 16 is provided with an arm 49, FIG. 1, projecting beyond the housing of the machine and making it possible manually to release the stop 16. When the stop 16 is manually released, the control slide 20 is rotated about the axes of the bolts 18 and 19 in a clockwise direction until the upper edge of the stop 16 comes to rest behind a projection 50 on the control slide, and a spring 51 then returns the control slide 20 to the starting position thereof.

The figure discs 40 (FIG. 7) of the stamping block can be adjusted, in known manner, by means of adjusting rings 52 (FIGS. 1 and 6) co-operating with toothed wheels 53, the internal gearing of the figure dials 54, the bevel gears 55, pinions 57 meshing with racks 56, and the intermediate gear wheels 58. The adjusting rings 52 have peripheral notches 59 into which engages a roller 62 carried by a stop lever 61 actuated by a spring 6%). To adjust a figure disc 40, this adjusting ring 52 is rotated by the handle 63, whereby the roller 62 snaps from one notch 59 into another one. When the roller 62 slides over a notch 59, the stop lever 61 is turned about the pivot 64 in a clockwise direction. With the stop lever 61 performing this turning motion, the roller 62 can fall into one'of the spaces 65 provided on the locking rod 32 when the machine is in the starting position shown in FIG. 1.

The locking rod 32 carrying the locking member 33, is connected permanently to an arm 66 which is supported for movement axially of the rotor and is engaged in a slot 68 provided on a coupling rod 67 movable with the rotor and axially relative thereto. This joining of the locking rod 32 to the coupling rod 67 has the effect of enabling both these rods to be displaced longitudinally only at the same time.

When the machine is at rest, the toothed wheels 53 arranged on the coupling rod 67 engage with the internal gearing of the adjusting rings 52 and the figure discs 54. The left end of the coupling rod 67 reaches into a bore 69 provided in a bearing 68 and retains the rotor 26 in its rest and starting position.

After an object 13 to be stamped has been introduced into the passage 12, the control pawl 29 releases the locking member 33, as described above, whereupon the compression spring 45 relaxes. A compression spring 71, FIG. 1, arranged between the wall 70 and the arm 66, can now move the locking rod 32 and the coupling rod 67 to the right and up to the stop 72, so that the stop levers 61 are locked in starting positions. When the locking rod 32 is in this position, the adjusting ring 52 cannot be shifted any more. At the same time the coupling rod 67 has left the bore 69, and the toothed wheels 53 mesh with the conically tapered ends 73 of the pinions 57.

The machine is now released, so that the rotor 26 can perform a revolution. While the rotor 26 is rotating, the adjusting mechanism for the figure discs 40 of the value stamp is locked by the conical ends 73 engaging in the toothed wheels 53.

As already described, the compression spring 45 is compressed during the last part of the rotary movement of the rotor 26.

As soon as the rotor 26 has performed a complete revolution, and the coupling rod 67, which during the rotation of the rotor slides on the side 74 of the bearing 68, has reached the bore 69, the locking rod 32 and the coupling rod 67 are returned to the starting position by the operation of the spring 45. When the coupling rod 67 moves into the bore 69, the rotor 26 is locked and cannot rotate and the appliance for adjusting the figure disc 40 is again connected with the coupling wheels 53. The stop levers 61 are also set free once again.

The device shown in FIG. is provided for locking up the stamping machine. When the owners key 75 is introduced into the lock 76, an element 77 is moved into the position shown in dotted lines in FIG. 5. When the element 77 is in this position, a slotted portion 78 thereof faces the control slide 20, so that the upper edge 79, FIG. 1, of the control slide may enter the slotted portion 78 on the stamping machine being released, as may be seen in FIGS. 3, 4, 5.

If the owners key 75 is removed the element 77 moves to the right into the position shown in dots and dashes, in which position the control slide 20 can no longer enter the slotted portion 78. When an object to be stamped is introduced into the passage 12, the control slide 20 now engages the element 77 and is locked by it in its starting position.

What I claim is:

1. A stamping machine comprising, in combination, support means; a rotor rotatably mounted on said support means and having a stamping block rotatable therewith, said support means defining with the peripheral surface of said rotor a passage through which objects to be stamped can be moved into position for stamping by said stamping block; a stop supported on said support means for pivotal movement to and from a rest position in which a portion of said stop located in said passage impedes movement of an object through said passage; locking means cooperating with said rotor and being movable between a locking position preventing rotation of said rotor and a releasing position; biasing means cooperating with said locking means and being biased to as to tend to move the latter to said releasing position; and means cooperating with said stop, said rotor and said locking means for preventing said biasing means to move said locking means to said releasing position when said stop is in said rest position, to release said locking means to move under the influence of said biasing means to said releasing position upon pivotal movement of said stop by engagement with an object moving into said pass-age and to retain said portion of said stop in the path of said object until said rotor has been moved through a predetermined part of a revolution thereof, said last mentioned means comprising a control pawl supported for movement between a first position engaging said locking means and holding the latter in said locking position, and a second position disengaged from said locking means and freeing the latter to be moved by said biasing means to said releasing position, and a control slide supported for sliding movement in longitudinal direction and having at least one shoulder, said slide being in a starting position when said stop is in said rest position and in said starting position of said slide said control pawl engages said shoulder thereof so as to be maintained in said first position, said stop engaging said slide to move the latter during tilting of said stop away from said rest position in a direction moving said shoulder out of engagement with said pawl permitting thereby the latter to move to said second position disengaged from said locking means and to permit thereby movement of the latter to said releasing position and thereby turning of said rotor.

2. A machine according to claim 1, and including a first spring cooperating with said control pawl to urge the latter against said shoulder and a second spring cooperating with said slide for maintaining the latter in engagement with said stop until said stop has been moved to a position in which said portion thereof does not impede movement of said object through said passage.

3. A machine according to claim 2, including a pressure roller supported by a pivoted lever spring-urged towards the rotor to permit an object issuing from the passage to be gripped between the roller and rotor for movement thereby, said lever having a tail engageable with said stop, and a cam rotatable with the rotor and arranged to co-operate with the lever to retain the pressure roller in a starting position thereof in which the stop is permitted to occupy the passage-impeding positions thereof, which is operable following said predetermined part of the revolution of the rotor to cause said tail to engage the stop and to move the stop out of the passage-impeding position thereof and to disengage the stop from the control slide, and which is operable to restore the lever to said starting position as the rotor completes a revolution thereof.

4. A machine according to claim 3, wherein said locking means include a locking rod supported for lengthwise movement relative to the rotor, a locking member axially shiftable on said locking rod, a coupling rod carried by the rotor for movement therewith and lengthwise relative thereto into and out of an aperture respectively to lock the rotor against rotation and to release the rotor for rotation, and an arm connecting the locking rod and coupling rod for simultaneous lengthwise movement, and wherein said biasing means include a spring co-operative with the locking rod and urging the rods to the rotor releasing positions thereof.

5. A machine according to claim 4, including control gear operable to restore the control pawl to engagement With said shoulder, said control gear including an axially directed and a radially directed ramp rotatable with the rotor and co-operating respectively with the locking member to efiFect location of the coupling rod in said aperture and with a projection on the control pawl to reengage the control pawl with the locking member to retain the rotor in the locked position thereof.

6. A machine according to claim 5, including an arm extending from the stop to permit manual operation of the stop.

7. A machine according to claim 6, including an element releasable by a key for movement into and out of operative relation with the control slide to prevent or to permit operation of the control slide.

8. A machine according to claim 1, including a pressure roller supported by a pivoted lever spring-urged towards the rotor to permit an object issuing from the passage to be gripped between the roller and rotor for movement thereby, said lever having a tail engageable with said stop, and a cam rotatable with the rotor and arranged to co-operate with the lever to retain the pressure roller in a starting position thereof in which the stop is permitted to occupy the passage-impeding positions thereof, which is operable following said predetermined part of the revolution of the rotor to cause said tail to engage the stop and to move the stop out of the passage-impeding position thereof and to disengage the stop from the control slide, and which is operable to restore the lever to said starting position as the rotor completes a revolution thereof.

9. A machine according to claim 8, wherein said locking means include a locking rod supported for lengthwise movement relative to the rotor, a locking member axially slidable on said locking rod, a coupling rod carried by the rotor for movement therewith and lengthwise relative thereto into and out of an aperture respectively to lock the rotor against rotation and to release the rotor for rotation, an arm connecting the locking rod and coupling rod for simultaneous lengthwise movement, and wherein said biasing means include a spring co-operating with the locking rod and urging the rods to the rotor releasing positions thereof.

10. A machine according to claim 9, including control gear operable to restore the control pawl to engagement with said shoulder, said control gear including an axially directed and a radially directed ramp rotatable with the rotor and cooperating respectively with the locking member to elfect location of the coupling rod in said aperture and with a projection on the control pa-wl to re-engage the control pawl with the locking member to retain the rotor in the locked position thereof.

11. A machine according to claim 10, including an arm extending from the stop to permit manual operation of the stop.

12. A machine according to claim 11, including an element releasable by a key for movement into and out of operative relation with the control slide to prevent or to permit operation of the control slide.

13. A machine according to claim 1, including an element releasable by a key for movement into and out of operative relation with the control slide to prevent or to permit operation of the control slide.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,352,802 7/1944 Ryan 101-235 2,363,554 11/1944 Ryan 101-235 2,660,950 12/ 1953 Lambert 101235 3,072,052 1/ 1963 Bach 101-235 WILLIAM B. PENN, Primary Examiner. 

1. A STAMPING MACHINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, SUPPORT MEANS; A ROTOR ROTATABLY MOUNTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS AND HAVING A STAMPING BLOCK ROTATABLE THEREWITH, SAID SUPPORT MEANS DEFINING WITH THE PERIPHERAL SURFACE OF SAID ROTOR A PASSAGE THROUGH WHICH OBJECTS TO BE STAMPED CAN BE MOVED INTO POSITION FOR STAMPING BY SAID STAMPING BLOCK; A STOP SUPPORTED ON SAID SUPPORT MEANS FOR PIVOTAL MOVEMENT TO AND FROM A REST POSITION IN WHICH A PORTION OF SAID STOP LOCATED IN SAID PASSAGE IMPEDES MOVEMENT OF AN OBJECT THROUGH SAID PASSAGE; LOCKING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID ROTOR AND BEING MOVABLE BETWEEN A LOCKING POSITION PREVENTING ROTATION OF SAID ROTOR AND A RELEASING POSITION; BIASING MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID LOCKING MEANS AND BEING BIASED TO AS TO TEND TO MOVE THE LATTER TO SAID RELEASING POSITION; AND MEANS COOPERATING WITH SAID STOP, SAID ROTOR AND SAID LOCKING MEANS FOR PREVENTING SAID BIASING MEANS TO MOVE SAID LOCKING MEANS TO SAID RELEASING POSITION WHEN SAID STOP IS IN SAID REST POSITION, TO RELEASE SAID LOCKING MEANS TO MOVE UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF SAID BIASING MEANS TO SAID RELEASING POSITION UPON PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID STOP BY ENGAGEMENT WITH AN OBJECT MOVING INTO SAID PASSAGE AND TO RETAIN SAID PORTION OF SAID STOP IN THE PATH OF SAID OBJECT UNTIL SAID ROTOR HAS BEEN MOVED THROUGH A PREDETERMINED PART OF A REVOLUTION THEREOF, SAID LAST MENTIONED MEANS COMPRISING A CONROL PAWL SUPPORTED FOR MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION ENGAGING SAID LOCKING MEANS AND HOLDING THE LATTER IN SAID LOCKING POSITION, AND A SECOND POSITION DISENGAGED FROM SAID LOCKING MEANS AND FREEING THE LATTER TO BE MOVED BY SAID BIASING MEANS TO SAID RELEASING POSITION, AND A CONTROL SLIDE SUPPORTED FOR SLIDING MOVEMENT IN LONGITUDINAL DIRECTION AND HAVING AT LEAST ONE SHOULDER, SAID SLIDE BEING IN A STARTING POSITION WHEN SAID STOP IS IN SAID REST POSITION AND IN SAID STARTING POSITION OF SAID SLIDE SAID CONTROL PAWL ENGAGES SAID SHOULDER THEREOF SO AS TO BE MAINTAINED IN SAID FIRST POSITION, SAID STOP ENGAGING SAID SLIDE TO MOVE THE LATTER DURING TILTING OF SAID STOP AWAY FROM SAID REST POSITION IN A DIRECTION MOVING SAID SHOULDER OUT OF ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID PAWL PERMITTING THEREBY THE LATTER TO MOVE TO SAID SECOND POSITION DISENGAGED FROM SAID LOCKING MEANS AND TO PERMIT THEREBY MOVEMENT OF THE LATTER TO SAID RELEASING POSITION AND THEREBY TURNING OF SAID ROTOR. 